System for developing a photo-resist material used as a recording medium

Claim 1

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer in atomized form so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represents the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength on the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; a drive means for rotating said base during the developing process; and a cylindrical member for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution disposed around said path of said monitoring energy beam for the entire length of said path, an end of said cylindrical member being open and facing said sensitive layer whereby preventing the atomized developing solution from adhering to said end.

Claim 2

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer in atomized form so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represents the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength on the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; a drive means for rotating said base during the developing process; and a cylindrical member for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution disposed around said path of said monitoring energy beam for the entire length of said path, an end of said cylindrical member being open and facing said sensitive layer whereby preventing the atomized developing solution from adhering to said end.

Claim 3

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represent the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength of the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; and partition means for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution, said partition means having a plate member disposed between said path of the monitoring energy beam and said developing solution supply means.

Claim 4

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represent the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength of the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; and partition means for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution, said partition means having a plate member disposed between said path of the monitoring energy beam and said developing solution supply means.

Claim 6

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer in atomized form so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represents the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength on the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; and a cylindrical member for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution disposed around said path of said monitoring energy beam substantially throughout the entire length of said path, an end of said cylindrical nmember being open, being transparent to said monitoring energy beam and facing said sensitive layer.

Claim 7

A system for developing a photo-resist material of a sensitive layer formed on a substantially transparent base, the sensitive layer having been exposed to a recording energy beam modulated in accordance with information to be recorded, the system comprising: means for supplying a developing solution on the sensitive layer in atomized form so as to remove the exposed portions of the photo-resist material to form a series of pits which represents the information to be recorded; means for supplying a monitoring energy beam of a predetermined wavelength on the sensitive layer of the base being developed, at an angle of incidence greater or smaller than 90°; detection means for detecting the intensity of a diffraction beam of said monitoring energy beam passing through the pits, and producing a diffraction intensity signal proportional thereto; control means for controlling the supply of the developing solution in accordance with said diffraction intensity signal; and a cylindrical member for isolating a path of said monitoring energy beam from said developing solution disposed around said path of said monitoring energy beam substantially throughout the entire length of said path, an end of said cylindrical nmember being open, being transparent to said monitoring energy beam and facing said sensitive layer.